Avalanche: Arrowhead Slide Path 1/2/2011

Observer Name: 
Nalli
Observation Date: 
01/02/2011
Occurrence Date: 
01/02/2011
Occurrence Time: 
10:30am
Region: 
Provo
Provo Canyon
Arrowhead Slide Path
Location Name: 
Arrowhead Slide Path
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Location

40° 21' 59.9616" N, 111° 35' 31.8084" W
Avalanche Characteristics
Elevation: 
8000'
Aspect: 
Southeast
Slope Angle: 
37
Trigger: 
Skier
Trigger: additional info: 
Intentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type: 
Hard Slab
Weak Layer: 
Density Change
Depth (avg): 
12"
Width: 
50'
Vertical: 
500'
General Comments

While on my way to investigate a larger slide that occurred on Dec 29 in the Arrowhead slide path just east of Sundance I found another pocket of wind blown hard slab from our last storm.  A carefully placed jump at the top of the cornice fractured and propagated 50' wide 4"-12" deep.  It traveled 500' vertical before stopping mid track in some older debris from the 29th.  I was not able to find any facets at the bed surface, just a change in density. 

Nalli 2011-01-02 Arrowhead 1.jpg
General Comments 2

Looking further down the ridge in the photo you can see the crown from the 29th.  That slide was approximately 800' wide and 2'-3' deep traveling 2000'vert.  While I was also not able to find any type of facets at the interface, I suspect that the weak layer here was the old snow surface of small 1-2mm NSF that formed just after Christmas.  There was a very widespread cycle in the Southern Wasatch that fits the pattern of S-E-N aspects mostly a few hundred feet below the ridgelines, SS-R4,D3+-I. 

Nalli 2011-01-02 Arrowhead 2.jpg
General Comments 3

This is the East Ridge of Timp at 9400'.  This one traveled about 2800' vert ending below Stewart's Falls.

Nalli 2011-01-02 East Ridge.jpg
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